ViroPharma Incorporated Honored by the National Organization for Rare Disorders

EXTON, Pa., May 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ViroPharma Incorporated (Nasdaq:
VPHM) was honored with a Corporate Award at the National Organization for Rare
Disorders (NORD) Annual Gala for its work in bringing Cinryze(TM) (C1 esterase
inhibitor (human)) to market for a rare and devastating disorder -- hereditary
angioedema (HAE).

HAE is a rare, severely debilitating, life-threatening genetic disorder caused
by a deficiency of C1 inhibitor, a human plasma protein. Patients with C1
inhibitor deficiency experience recurrent, unpredictable, debilitating, and
potentially life threatening attacks of swelling affecting the larynx,
abdomen, face, extremities and urogenital tract. There are estimated to be at
least 4,600 people with HAE in the United States.

"We are honored to be recognized by NORD for our work in bringing Cinryze to
HAE patients in the U.S.," said Vincent Milano, ViroPharma's president and
chief executive officer, "but what is even more gratifying for everyone at
ViroPharma is making a difference in the lives of HAE patients who have
literally been waiting for decades for this therapy."

Cinryze (C1 esterase inhibitor (human)) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration in October 2008 for routine prophylaxis against HAE attacks in
adults and adolescents. In February 2009, ViroPharma was granted priority
review of a supplemental Biologics License Application for Cinryze for the
treatment of acute attacks of HAE. If approved, Cinryze may be the first C1
esterase inhibitor available for the acute treatment for this condition.
ViroPharma's Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date for the use of
Cinryze for acute attacks in patients with HAE is June 3, 2009.

The NORD Gala is an annual event at which researchers and others are honored
for significant achievements to improve the lives of people with rare
diseases. NORD represents the nearly 30 million Americans who have rare
diseases.

About Cinryze(TM) (C1 esterase inhibitor (human))
Cinryze is a highly purified, pasteurized and nanofiltered plasma-derived C1
esterase inhibitor product that has been approved by FDA for routine
prophylaxis against angioedema attacks in adolescent and adult patients with
HAE. C1 inhibitor therapy has been used acutely for more than 35 years in
Europe to treat patients with C1 inhibitor deficiency.

Cinryze has been generally well tolerated. The most common adverse reactions
observed have been upper respiratory infection, sinusitis, rash and headache.
No drug-related serious adverse events (SAEs) have been observed in clinical
trials. Severe hypersensitivity reactions may occur. Thrombotic events have
occurred in patients receiving high dose off-label C1 inhibitor therapy well
above the approved treatment dosage regimen. With any blood or plasma derived
product, there may be a risk of transmission of infectious agents, e.g.
viruses and, theoretically, the CJD agent. The risk has been reduced by
screening patients for prior exposure to certain virus infections and by
manufacturing steps to reduce the risk of viral transmission including
pasteurization and nanofiltration.

Cinryze is for intravenous use only. A dose of 1000 Units of Cinryze can be
administered every 3 or 4 days for routine prophylaxis against angioedema
attacks in HAE patients. Cinryze is administered at an injection rate of 1 mL
per minute.

About Hereditary Angioedema
HAE is a rare, severely debilitating, life-threatening genetic disorder caused
by a deficiency of C1 inhibitor, a human plasma protein. This condition is the
result of a defect in the gene controlling the synthesis of C1 inhibitor. C1
inhibitor maintains the natural regulation of the contact, complement, and
fibrinolytic systems, that when left unrestricted, can initiate or perpetuate
an attack by consuming the already low levels of endogenous C1 inhibitor in
HAE patients. Patients with C1 inhibitor deficiency experience recurrent,
unpredictable, debilitating, and potentially life threatening attacks of
inflammation affecting the larynx, abdomen, face, extremities and urogenital
tract. Patients with HAE experience approximately 20 to 100 days of
incapacitation per year. There are estimated to be at least 4,600 people with
HAE in the United States.

For more information on HAE, visit the U.S. HAE Association's website at:
www.haea.org.

About ViroPharma Incorporated
ViroPharma Incorporated is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the
development and commercialization of products that address serious diseases
treated by physician specialists and in hospital settings. ViroPharma
commercializes Vancocin(R), approved for oral administration for treatment of
antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis caused by Clostridium difficile
and enterocolitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus, including
methicillin-resistant strains. ViroPharma commercializes Cinryze(TM) (C1
esterase inhibitor (human)) for routine prophylaxis against angioedema attacks
in adolescent and adult patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE), also known
as C1 inhibitor deficiency (for prescribing information on ViroPharma's
commercial products, please download the package inserts at
http://www.viropharma.com/Products.aspx). ViroPharma currently focuses its
drug development activities in diseases including cytomegalovirus (CMV), HAE
and C. difficile.

ViroPharma routinely posts information, including press releases, which may be
important to investors in the investor relations and media sections of our
company's web site, www.viropharma.com. The company encourages investors to
consult these sections for more information on ViroPharma and our business.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release contain forward-looking statements
that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements
provide the Company's current expectations or forecasts of future events.
Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding
ViroPharma's supplemental Biologics License Application for Cinryze for the
treatment of acute attacks of HAE. Our actual results could differ materially
from those results expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking
statements. The development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products
is subject to risks and uncertainties. The data that were submitted to the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration includes data from two separate studies
including the pivotal Phase 3 study of Cinryze in acute HAE attacks and the
ongoing open-label study of Cinryze for acute treatment of HAE, which includes
partial data from an ongoing open label study. There can be no assurance that
the complete data from the open label study will demonstrate that Cinryze
successfully treats all types of acute hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks and
may not be predictive of the results of any future testing. The FDA may view
the data regarding the use of Cinryze for acute treatment of HAE we have
submitted as a supplemental BLA as insufficient or inconclusive, not accept
our submission, request additional data, require additional clinical studies,
delay any decision past the time frames anticipated by us, limit any approved
indications, deny the approval of Cinryze for acute treatment of HAE or
approve a competing product which has been granted orphan drug designation
thereby preventing Cinryze from reaching the market for acute treatment of
HAE. These factors, and other factors, including, but not limited to those
described in ViroPharma's annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on
Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission during 2009, could
cause future results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in
this press release. The forward-looking statements contained in this press
release may become outdated over time. ViroPharma does not assume any
responsibility for updating any forward-looking statements.

SOURCE ViroPharma Incorporated

Media, Kristina M. Broadbelt, Assistant Director, PR & Advocacy,
+1-610-321-2358, or Investors, Robert A. Doody Jr., Assistant Director,
Investor Relations, +1-610-321-6290, both of ViroPharma Incorporated